The Golden Rule Doesn't Apply to Children?

I am going to sound a little overly passionate today and the truth is, I am. On Thursday of last week I took a little time for myself and went to Mimi's for lunch to just sit and relax and read for school. I was on an extra long break from class and just wanted to go somewhere relaxing. I went in and ordered my quiche and coffee and settled in for some good Erica date time. About 10 minutes into my relaxing lunch, a woman came in with her son. If I had to guess, he was about 8-10 years old. She looked about 40-45 years old. I am telling you this so you can see that she was old enough to know better. She was on her cell phone when she walked into the restraunt and was greeted by the host. She was quickly seated as it was a really quiet time in the afternoon and she stayed on the phone talking loudly and clearly having a social conversation and gossiping about someone who had treated her poorly according to her loud story. Her child sat there and tried to get her attention as she shushed him and went back to her conversation.

She stayed on the phone as he continued to try to get her attention, as the waiter came over for their drink order, as the waiter came back with the drinks and took the actual food order, as she ran out of soda and got up out of her seat to let the waiter know just how slow he really was and to huff and puff as she had to recap the drinks they had ordered previously. She finally got off the phone just in time to gulp down her burger and fries but it was already too late for her son. He had laid down in the booth and fallen asleep before his food came because in all reality he was eating lunch alone.

So I got to thinking...Is there no respect for children at all? I wasn't really respected as a child but I thought we had come further than this and realized that children are just smaller people, therefore, they deserve the respect that all other persons deserve. Then I started realizing that this woman did not respect anyone. She did not respect the host as she spoke on her cell phone. She did not respect the waiter as she talked on the cell phone and spoke down to him as if he was lower than herself. She did not respect me and the other customers who were trying to enjoy our lunch and she talked very loudly. Just a note, I was not the only one having a quiet reading lunch. Mostly, she did not respect herself. She was unkempt in appearance, ate horribly, and drank 4 regular sodas in a 20 minute period.

I left that restraunt sad. I was sad for that little boy who doesn't feel important to his mother. I felt sad for the waiter that was treated so poorly. I was sad for those of us trying to read our books who got nothing done but watching this bad behavior. I mostly felt sad that his woman does not understand her child's worth, her own worth, or other people's worth. Maybe this issue wasn't about children but I wanted to state that I think the golden rule applies to children too! How many of us would want to be out to lunch with someone we cared for and sit in the booth with them while they had a conversation with someone else. And quite honestly, which of us would do this to a friend? I made a vow to myself and God that my children will be treated with respect in my life!

Just a thought!

--Erica Lewis--